About this item
Antidepressants are the most commonly prescribed class of medications in this country © 190 million prescriptions per year have been written since 2005. Yet, consumers have few available resources to educate them in a balanced fashion about starting and stopping antidepressants. People want to know if antidepressants are really safe, whether they are addictive, and how they may affect their personality. In this book, triple board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Michael Banov walks the reader through a personalized process to help them make the right choice about starting antidepressants, staying on antidepressants, and stopping antidepressants. He includes specific guidelines on how to safely reduce and ultimately stop taking antidepressants, if it is appropriate to do so. Readers will learn how antidepressant medications work, what they may experience while taking them, and will learn how to manage side effects or any residual or returning depression symptoms. Most books on depression take a biased view against antidepressant medication due to perceived dangers; this book finally provides a neutral, research-based resource for consumers who want the facts about taking antidepressants. The author holds readers' attention with case examples of characters they can relate to and interesting facts about depression, the brain, and mental health in general.
About the Author
Michael D. Banov MD is a triple board-certified Adult, Adolescent, and Addiction Psychiatrist and is the medical director of Northwest Behavioral Medicine and Northwest Behavioral Research Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Northwest Behavioral Medicine is an outpatient behavioral health group practice providing comprehensive outpatient services to those suffering from a wide range of psychiatric problems. Northwest Behavioral Research Center works with pharmaceutical companies to test new compounds for the treatment of psychiatric disorders including, but not limited to, depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, attention deficit disorder, and schizophrenia. He is a certified clinical investigator, having received his certification from the Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ARCP).Dr. Banov has conducted over 100 clinical research studies with new and existing compounds in the management of acute and chronic psychiatric conditions. He also continues to see patients on a daily basis, which gives him a unique perspective on integrating research findings into real world practice. He has authored over 20 scientific papers in the area of psychiatry with a focus on pharmacological therapies. His practice has also provided a training ground for medical students interested in learning more about the practice of psychiatry. He has written articles in publications such as Insight Magazine and been quoted in Good Housekeeping and other national publications for the lay public on identifying and treating mental health problems.See www.psychatlanta.com for more information about Dr. Banov and his practice.
